First 43 Expeditions Selected for New Season of Rediscovering Russia

The competitive selection of the inter-university student expedition programme Rediscovering Russia has ended. The expeditions will take place from May to November 2024 and will cover 26 Russian regions. Students and graduates from any university countrywide, including foreigners, can apply for any expedition. The expert council approved 43 applications, the list of winners included 20 universities and 23 organisations.

By participating in the Rediscovering Russia project, students have the opportunity to demonstrate their professional competencies, participate in an expedition, and work on real developmental problems in Russian regions. In return, regional teams gain support from the country’s best young specialists. The project includes a wide range of expeditions: student teams can implement cultural, social, educational, environmental, technological, and urban projects.

The project is carried out by HSE University together with the presidential platform Russia—Land of Opportunity and a programme created by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), More than a Trip, along with the support of the Russian Geographical Society and the Association of Volunteer Centres.

Rediscovering Russia is an all-Russian inter-university programme of student expeditions. Students from the best universities in the country participate in socially significant projects aimed at improving life in Russian regions.

The Rediscovering Russia project has been running at HSE University since 2017, during which time over 400 expeditions have been carried out, with the participation of more than 4,500 students and teachers. In 2022, the project reached a new, inter-university level thanks to the support of the presidential platform, Russia—Land of Opportunity, and the More than a Trip programme. In 2023, over 15,000 applications were submitted, and more than 1,000 students from 157 universities across the country took part in the expeditions.

Student expeditions are one form of implementing the 'service learning’ educational approach: students have an opportunity to put their professional skills into practice through the implementation of socially significant tasks.

Over 400

APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED DURING COMPETITIVE SELECTION

The list of applicants included 129 universities and 106 organisations, foundations, associations, government agencies, and development institutions from 106 Russian cities. In addition to the winning expeditions, a waiting list has been published on the project website, applications from which can be accepted into the programme at a later time.

Dmitry Zemtsov

HSE University Vice Rector, Chairperson of the Expert Council of the Rediscovering Russia competition

‘For the third season now, we have been implementing the Rediscovering Russia project at the inter-university level together with the presidential platform, Russia —Land of Opportunity, and the More than a Trip programme. Over the years, many young specialists have improved the regions of our country, demonstrating their professional capabilities in the field. Such mechanics embody the goals and meanings that we put into the educational approach of “service learning,” supported by more than 100 universities across the country. I am glad that Rediscovering Russia student expeditions are one of the brightest options for its implementation. Last season, the project took the first steps towards the development of international expeditions, and I hope that this ambition will be achieved in 2024.’

The most popular areas among the declared expeditions were culture (184 applications), education, and urban studies (162 and 126 applications, respectively). The most popular expedition destinations were the Primorsky and Kamchatka Krais, Ivanovo and Sverdlovsk regions and the Republic of Karelia.

Students, graduates, and postgraduates of any university in the country, including foreigners, can apply for the expedition they prefer. Participants may be from 18 to 35 years of age. Prospective students for the year 2024 will be able to apply for expeditions starting in September.

The winning expeditions will receive financing not only for travel, accommodation, meals, and excursion programmes for participants and mentors, but also for methodological support. The organisers are planning a training series for each of the teams before the expedition: the participants will be introduced to the expedition’s work format, will be taught how to properly cover the expedition, and learn how to get to know each other and prepare for departure. After completing the expedition, the participants will enjoy more events: in addition to finalising the expedition, they will have follow-up meetings on the work completed, a competition of expedition results, and the final forum of the season with awards for the best teams and partners.

More than a Trip is a programme which has allowed over 170 thousand young people to visit the unique destinations of our country, become acquainted with the achievements of universities and industrial enterprises, develop socially significant projects, and make new friends. Active participants, winners, and runners-up of all-Russian projects take trips around the country: schoolchildren, students, young professionals from Russian regions, and military dependents. In addition to the traditional tourism programme, young people visit Russian production facilities, educational organisations, and other significant facilities in the country. They have the opportunity to contribute to city development, participate in volunteer activities, and become co-creators of their trip.